Telegraphic receiving apparatus



Y5. TELEG RAPH Y Dec. 1, 1931.

R D SALMON TELEGRAPHIC RECEIVING APPARATUS Filed July 22. 192'? 2 searchShee Ls-Shea t l Dec. 1, 1931. R. D SALMON TELEGRAPHIC RECEIVINGAPPARATUS Filed July 22. 19?? 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Dec. 1, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGINALD DENNIS SALMON, OF CROYDON, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR TO CREED AND COM- PANY LIMITED, A COMPANY OF GREAT BRITAIN ANDNORTHERN IRELAND TELEGRAPHIC RECEIVING APPARATUS Application filed July22, 1927, Serial No. 207,709, and in Great Britain September 3, 1928.

This invention relates to telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kindembodying a motor from which parts of the apparatus are operated duringthe reception of signals. In some construction of such receiving apparatus, the motor is automatically brought into action by the armature ofa relay on the receipt of the first or starting signal and is maintainedin action during the receipt of succeeding signals by the intermittentaction of the armature on mechanism that is driven from the motor and isconstantly tending to stop the motor but is prevented from doing sowhile signals are being received but will do so When the receipt ofsignals ceases for a predetermined time, the object being to preventwaste of energy in the motor when signals are not being received. Withsuch arrangements however, work has to be expended by the relay on thestarting and stopping mechanism during the whole time signals are beingreceived. In other arrangements, a relay acts upon the receipt of thefirst or starting signal to release starting and stopping mechanism andenables operative parts of the receiving apparatus to be connected to acontinuously running motor, the starting and stopping mechanism beingadapted to disconnect the operative parts of the apparatus from thecontinuously running motor after the receipt of signals has ceased for apredetermined time. In such arrangement however, energy is beingcontinually wasted in the motor during the cessation of signals, unlessthe motor is stopped by hand controlled means.

N ow the present invention has reference to a construction oftelegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind first referred to, whereinthe motor and a driving shaft of such apparatus are startedautomatically by action of a relay on the receipt of the first orstarting signal, are caused to continue in operation while succeedingsignals are being received, and are stopped automatically after thereceipt of signals has ceased for a predetermined short period, therelay being inoperative on the motor starting means after the receipt ofthe first or starting signal. In this Way no energy is wasted in therelay to maintain the circuit of the motor closed during the receipt ofsucceeding signals and no energy is wasted in the motor after thecessation of signals for the predetermined period.

Means for automatically starting and stopping the motor in the mannerdescribed for the purpose mentioned can be variously constructed.

In one construction of telegraphic receiving apparatus, embodying thepresent invention, there are associated with a relay responsive toelectric signals and a motor for operating a driving shaft of theapparatus, spring controlled motor starting and stopping means(hereinafter called for brevity, a trigger device) that is under thecontrol of the relay and of a movable part of the apparatus adapted tobe connected to the said driving shaft under the action of receivedsignals and trigger restoring means arranged to be actuated from thedriving shaft when the same is in operation and adapted to restore thetrigger device from a motor starting position to a motor stoppingposition after the cessation of signals for a predetermined time, and tohold it in that position against the action of spring means. Thearrangement is such that normally the trigger device is held in aposition in which the motor and driving shaft are stationary and thatupon the receipt of the first or starting signal, the armature lover ofthe relay acts to disengage the trigger device from the triggerrestoring devices and permit it automatically to be moved by springmeans into a position to bring about the starting of the motor anddriving shaft and in which the armature is inoperative upon it duringthe receipt of succeeding signals, and the trigger restoring means isthen set in operation by the driving shaft and endeavours to restore thetrigger device to its normal position but is prevented from doing so bythe aforesaid movable part of the apparatus until the receipt of signalshas ceased for a predetermined time.

Usually the motor Will be an electric motor the starting and stopping ofwhich is directly effected by an electric switch under the control ofthe trigger device. In an arrangement of this kind, the trigger device,when actuated by the relay, on the receipt of the first or startingsignal, causes the closing of the motor switch, which is then heldclosed during the receipt of subsequent signals, but brings about theopening of the switch in a very rapid'manner, after the receipt ofsignals has ceased for the predetermined period.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 shows in plan,telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind herein referred to providewith one arrangement of means according to the invention forautomatically starting and stopping such apparatus. Fig. 2 is a planview showing the said means detached from the telegraphic receivingapparatus. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of such means as seen from theleft hand end of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the said means as seenfrom the inner side thereof. Fig. 5 shows in horizontal section, andmore or less diagrammatically, portions of such means together withassociated parts of the telegraphic receiving apparatus. Fig. 6 is anend view of part of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a cross section corresponding tothe line VIIVII of Fig. 5.

In the example shown, the automatic starting and stopping means areshown applied to telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind describedin the specification of Patent 1,639,213 to F. G. Creed. The electricswitch used in the automatic arrangement shown comprises two switch arms1 and 2 pivoted to a stationary'part 3 of the apparatus and connectedrespectively to springs 4 and 5 adapted to move them in the samedirection, when free to do so. The switch arm 1 is formed as a U shapedterminal 1 between the side limbs of which is arranged a stop 6 of lessdiameter than the width of the space between such limbs. This stopserves to limit the turning movement of arm 1 in each direction. Theswitch arm 2 terminates in a thin or bladelike portion 2 arrangedadjacent and parallel to the terminal side limb of the U shaped member1, such blade-like portion 2 and the adjacent limb of the U shapedmember 1 carrying respectively electric contacts 1 and 2 for completingbetween them the circuit of an electric motor B for rotating the drivingshaft of the telegraphic receiving apparatus denoted by the letter A inFig. 1. The contacts are suitably insulated as by pivoting the switcharms to a support 3 of insulating material. Pivoted to the stationarysupport 3 is a third spring controlled arm 7 arranged at right angles toarm 2 and terminating in a thin or blade-like portion 7. Arms 2 and 7may, as shown, be connected to the coiled spring 5 which is then commonto them. Normally, the two contacts 1 and 2 are held apart by the spring5 and the circuit of the electric motor thereby opened, and the arm 7 isheld above the end of the blade-like portion 2 of the arm 2, but isadapted, when arm 3.;

2 is moved sufliciently close the motor circuit between the two contacts1 2 to spring behind the blade-like portion 2 of arm 2 and act as adetent or stop to hold the said contacts together and the motor circuitclosed. Between the thin end portions or blades 2 and 7" of the arms 2and 7 is mounted a crank arm 8 formed, as shown in Fig. 5, by the hookshaped bent end of an endways movable horizontal spindle 9 the other endof which is provided with a head or block 10. The latter is connected totwo coiled springs 11 and 12 which are arranged as shown so as to tendto turn it and the spindle 9, when free to do so, in a direction tocause the crank arm 8 to abut against the blade portion 2 of arm 2 andforce the same towards and against the U shaped member 1 of arm 1 so asto close the motor circuit between the two contacts 1 and 2 carried bythe two arms, against the action of the spring 5. The head 10 andspindle 9 are also acted upon by a spring 13 that tends to move themendways in the direction of the arrow as in Fig. 5. The spindle 9,carried by a bearing 9*, extends through the centre of a vertical disc14 that is arranged to be rotated at a slow speed through gearing,including, it may be and as shown, worm gearing 15, from a spindle 16that is arranged to be driven through similar gearing 15 from a shaft 17of the telegraphic receiving apparatus A driven from the electric motorB. The said disc 14 is formed with a number of holes, say twodiametrically arranged holes 14, into one or other of which the free end8 of the bent end 8 of the spindle 9 is caused to enter, when free to doso, under the action of spring 13. The spindle 9 is provided with means,for instance a collar 9*, by which it can be moved endways against theaction of the spring 13, to withdraw the free end 8 from the hole 14in'the said disc 14 in which it may happen to be, by means, such as afork 18, that is adapted to be moved endways in an intermittent manner,against the action of the said spring 13, by a lever 19 actuated by acam driven from the driving shaft of the apparatus and under the controlof the received signals. In the example shown, the lever 19 is actuateddirectly from a sleeve (1- that is movable endways on the shaft 17 by alever b that is actuated from a cam c on a cam sleeve (Z. The sleeve dis mounted upon and adapted to be engaged, under the control of receivedsignals, with the cam shaft 6 of the apparatus which is driven by themotor B. The spindle 9 and head 10 are also adapted to be moved endways,against the action of the spring 13, for the purpose mentioned, by onearm 20 of a bell crank lever 20, 20 that bears against the end of thehead 10 (Fig. 6) and the other arm 20 of which is adapted to beactuated, as by a link 21,

far towards arm 1 to V by or from the armature lever 21 of anelectro-magnetic relay 22 responsive to the action of the line signalsto be received. The said end of the head 10 is formed With a segmentshaped notch or recess 10 (Figs. 5 and 6) into which the adjacent arm 20of the bell crank lever 20, 20 can move when the head 10 has been turnedfrom its normal position. Normally, the crank arm 8 is held in itsinoperative position against the arm 7, by the perforated disc 14against the action of the springs 11 and 12.

The arrangement is such that assuming the driving motor B of thetelegraphic receiving apparatus A to be at rest, then, upon the receiptof the first or starting electric signal or impulse transmitted, thebell-crank lever, 20, 20 will be operated by the armature lever 21 ofthe relay 22, to move the head 10 and spindle 9 endways against theaction of the spring 13 and disengage the crank arm 8 from theperforated disc 14 and enable such crank arm to be rapidly turned by thesprings 11 and 12 into a position to force the blade portion 2 of arm 2towards the bent end 1 of arm 1, and close the motor circuit between thecontacts 1 and 2 carried by those parts, the closing movement beinglimited by the stop 6 within the bent end 1 of arm 1. At the samemoment, the arm 7 snaps behind the blade portion 2 of arm 2 and holdsthe switch closed. The cam shaft e of the telegraphic apparatus isthereby set in action and the cam sleeve d automatically clutched tosuch shaft under the action of the said signal. The cam sleeve d isintermittently clutched to the cam shaft 6 as long as further telegraphsignals are being received. The motor shaft B (Fig. 1) being now inaction, the perforated disc 14 will be caused, through its drivingmechanism 15 16'-15, to slowly rotate, and the free limb 8 of the bentend 8 of the spindle 9, under the action of the spring 13, will becaused to ultimately enter one or other of the holes 14*, in the plate14 whereby it will be rotated towards the blade portion 7 of arm 7against the action of the springs 11 and 12. Before however it can reachthe blade portion 7 of arm 7 it will be moved out of the hole 14 in therotating plate 14 by the cam operated fork 18 and permitted to returnunder the action of the springs 11 and 12 to a position adjacent toblade 2 of arm 2 where it will again enter a hole 14 in the plate 14 andwill be again partly rotated and again released, as described, theseoperations taking place repeatedly whilst signals are being received,the arm 20 of the bell crank lever 20, 20 adjacent to the aforesaidhead, moving freely in and out of the notch 10 in the block 10 by thearmature of the relay 22 during the receipt of signals. Owing to theslow rotation of the plate 14 and to the fact that signals are normallyreceived very rapidly, the bent end 8 of the spindle 9 after entering ahole 14 in the plate 14 will be moved only through an extremely smalldistance thereby, before it is disengaged therefrom by the fork 18. Ifsignals cease to be received for a short time, which however is lessthan a predetermined time, the bent arm 8 will be carried round by theplate 14 for a greater distance before being disengaged therefrom by thefork 18 on the receipt of the first signal after the short interval, butnot sufliciently far to reach the blade portion 7 a of arm 7. Whenhowever signals cease to be received for the predetermined time and thetelegraphic receiving mechanism other than the perforated disc 14,namely the cam sleeve d driven from the cam shaft 6, has ceased to beoperated, the fork 18 will cease to act, but the perforated plate 14will still continue to be rotated from the shaft 17 until the crank arm8 engaged therewith has been turned by the disc, against the action ofthe springs 11 and 12, into a position to force the blade portion 7 a ofarm 7 out of engagement with the blade portion 2 of arm 2 whereupon thelatter arm will suddenly be moved by its spring 5 in a direction to moveits contact 2 away from the contact 1 carried by the bent end 1 of arm1, thereby opening the switch and stopping the motor. The perforateddisc 14 will then come to rest and hold the crank arm 8, spindle 9 andhead 10 in the positions into which they have been turned by the disc 14against the action of the springs 11 and 12 and the arm 20 of the bellcrank lever 20, 20 will then bear against the unnotched end portion ofthe block 19 ready to again bring about the starting of the motor in themanner described on the receipt of another starting signal or impulse.

It will be understood, that as the arm 20 of the bell crank lever 20, 20adjacent to the head 10 of the spindle 9 can move freely in and out ofthe notch 10- in the head after the receipt of the first signal andduring the receipt of successive signals, the relay has no work to do onthe said spindle after starting the motor, the work necessary to movethe said spindle endways on the receipt of each signal, after thestarting signal, being done by power derived from the motor that is tosay through the fork 18. This is a feature of considerable practicalimportance.

During the opening movement of arm 2 with contact 2", the arm 1 withcontact 1 will, under the action of its spring 4, follow up suchmovement for a short distance and until arrested by the associated stop6, with the result that the contacts will be moved apart very rapidlyand arcing between them prevented.

Automatic starting and stopping apparatus according to the invention canbe applied to telegraphic received apparatus of various kinds.

WVhat I claim is 1. Telegraphic apparatus of the kind herein referredto, comprising a motor and a driving shaft of said apparatus, a switchin the motor circuit, a relay and means operated by such relay adaptedto close the switch and automatically start the motor and shaft on thereceipt of the first or starting signal, said switch closing meansincluding a clutch having a member operatively associated with the saidshaft and being adapted to be intermittently opened and closed whilesucceeding signals are being received, such clutch being adapted to openthe switch and automatically stop the motor and shaft onlyafter thereceipt of signals has ceased for a predetermined short period, therelay being in operative on the motor starting means after the receiptof the first or starting signal.

2. Telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind referred to, comprising ashaft, an electric motor adapted to drive such shaft, means adapted tobe intermittently actuated by the shaft in accordance with receivedsignals while the motor is running, a switch in the circuit of themotor, and means including a crank member actuated on receipt of thefirst or starting line signal, adapted to close the switch and start themotor, said means after the cessation of the receipt of signals for apredetermined short time acting to open the switch and arrest the motor,the crank member being inoperative on the motor starting means after thereceipt of the first or starting signal.

3. Telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind referred to, comprising amotor, a switch in the circuit of the motor, means continu ously drivenby the motor in a direction tending to reach a position where same canopen the switch. means intermittently actuated by the motor inaccordance with received signals whereby such drive is intermittentlyinterrupted whilst signalling is in progress and the said member isallowed to return to initial position without reaching the switchopening position, such switch opening position being only mached afterthe cessation of the receipt of signals for a predetermined time.

4;. In telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind referred to, a motor,a starting switch therefor, rotatable actuating means associatedtherewith and means embodying a relay adapted to bring about the closingof the switch by said actuating means on the receipt of the first orstarting line signal, said a' tuating means being adapted to move freelyduring the continued receipt of signals, the relay being inoperative onthe actuating means aforesaid after the receipt of the first or startingsignal.

5. In telegraphic receiving apparatus of the kind referred to, a motor,a switch therefor, a line relay, a switch closing member, a detent forholding the switch closed, spring means whereby the switch closingmember is moved to switch closing position, a driving device slowlyrotated by the motor adapted to move the switch closing member in theopposite direction towards the detent, means whereby the driving deviceand switch closing member are automatically clutched and meansresponsive to the received signals adapted to automatically de-clutchthe switch closing member before it reaches the detent, said detentbeing only reached and displaced to allow the switch to open after thecessation of the receipt of signals for a predetermined short time.

6. In a telegraphic receiving apparatus, an angularly movable switcharm, a stop adapted to limit its movement in opposite directions, aspring urging it in one direction towards the stop, a second angularlymovable switch arm, a detent associated therewith, spring meansconnecting the detent and associated arm, said detent acting to hold theswitch arms in engagement with one another after the switch is closedand a crank member adapted with rotation in one direction to close theswitch and in so doing to influence the first named switch arm againstthe influence of its spring and with rotation in the opposite directionto dislodge the detent and allow the switch to open quickly.

7 In a telegraph receiving system, including in combination, a motor, astarting switch, means intermittently actuated by said motor andoperatively associated with said switch, a spindle having a free portionresponsive to said intermittently actuated means, and means disposedupon said spindle adapted to lock and release said free portion.

8. In a telegraph receiving system, including in combination, a motor, astarting switch, means intermittently actuated by said motor andoperatively associated with said 110 switch, a spindle having a freeportion responsive to said actuating means, a perforated disc disposedon said spindle adapted to interlock with said free portion, a blockslidably and resiliently mounted upon said spin- 115 dle, and meanscooperating with said block adapted to release said free spindle portionfrom said perforated disc.

9. In a telegraph receiving system, including in combination, a motor, astarting 120 switch, a spindle having a disc locking portionintermittently actuated by said motor, said locking portion comprisingmeans for closing and releasing said switch, a block disposed on saidspindle having opposed spring 12 members adapted to rotate said blockupon the release of said locking portion to close said switch, said discbeing adapted to rotate said locking portion after cessation of thereceipt of signals for opening said switch.

10. In a motor control circuit, a relay adapted to be operated bysignals from a dis tant point, a bell crank lever actuated by thearmature of said relay, a spring oscillated arm, a motor, a switch forsaid motor, a rotatable member operatively associated with saidarm, saidmember being continuously rotated by said motor, means on said memberfor engaging said arm upon the operation of said relay to cause said armto close said switch, and a cam under the control of said motor todisengage said arm and member when signals are being received and saidarm being adapted to open said switch when signals are no longer beingreceived.

11. In combination, an electric motor, a member having movements inopposite directions, a switch controlling the connection of a source ofcurrent supply to the motor, said switch being opened by said memberwhen moved in one direction to a predetermined point and closed by saidmember when moved in the other direction to a predetermined point, meansfor connecting said member to the motor to be driven thereby in adirection to open the switch, and a spring in which energy is storedwhen the member is moved in the direction to open the switch and actingwhen the member is disconnected from the motor to move the member toswitch closing position.

12. In combination, an electric motor, a switch for connecting the motorin circuit with a source of current supply and for disconnecting ittherefrom, a lever for holding the switch closed, a pivoted arm movablein one direction to engage the lever and thereby open the switch, a.disc rotatable under control of the motor and engageable with thepivoted arm thereby to move said arm in the said one direction, a springin which energy is stored by the said movement of the pivoted arm, andmeans for causing disengagement of the pivoted arm and the rotatabledisc whereupon said arm is moved in the opposite direction underinfluence of the energy stored in the spring to close the switch.

13. In combination, a motor, an electromagnetic device responsive tosignalling current impulses and controlling the starting of the motor, atiming device set in operation following the starting of the motor andacting at the end of apredetermined cycle of operation to stop themotor, and means controlled by said electromagnetic device to interruptthe advance of said timing device and cause the resetting thereof to thebeginning of said cycle.

14. The combination of a motor, a switch for connecting the motor incircuit with a source of current supply therefor and disconnecting ittherefrom, means controlled by the motor for opening the switch, and anelectromagnetic device responsive to signalling current impulses andcontrolling the closure of the switch and during such closure havingcontrol of said means to prevent the opening of the switch.

15. The combination of an electric motor, a switch for controlling theconnection of the motor in circuit with a source of current supply, anelectromagnetic device responsive to signal impulses, means controlledby said device for closing the switch and by the motor for subsequentlyopening the switch, and a member operable. by said device to remove saidmeans from the control of the motor prior to the opening of the switch.

16. The combination of an electromagnetic device responsive to signalimpulses, a motor, a member capable of movement in opposite directionsand moved quickly in one direction to start the motor in response to anactuation of said device, and means actuated by the motor to move saidmember slowly in the other direction to a predetermined point in whichit stops the motor.

17. The combination of a motor, an electromagnetic device responsive tosignal impulses, a switch closed and locked in closed position inresponse to an actuation of the electromagnetic device to start themotor, a timing device operated by the motor to unlock and open theswitch at the end of a predetermined period and under control of theelectromagnetic device whereby a second actuation of the electromagneticdevice during said period stops the operation of the timing device.

18. The combination of an electric motor, a switch for controlling theconnection of the motor in circuit with a source of current supply, anelectromagnetic device responsive to signal impulses, means including amem-

